Batruka
by Saun
Summary: Trust me here. Just read it and tell me what you think It's something fun I was playing with in my livejournal.
1. Default Chapter

Batruka  
  
by Saun   
  
Rated: PG  
  
Haruka   
  
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon & Company do not belong to me. I just   
  
borrowed them for a bit.  
  
Don't blame my editor for typos... this too was an unsupervised expedition:-D  
  
What if Haruka was a super hero with a really cool car?  
  
...wait a minute ¬.¬  
  
Darkness decended on the city of Tokyo, but at Tenoh Manor the lights still blazed.   
  
"Everything has been made ready for the new charge, Master Haruka." the green haired   
  
butler intoned before taking her leave of the drawing room.  
  
"Thank you Setsuna." came the husky reply. Tenoh Haruka stood silhouetted in front   
  
of the fire. She was staring into the licking flames. The jacket to her tuxedo was   
  
tossed over the back of a Louis VII arm chair. It was almost time.   
  
The blonde heard a door open and a teal haired woman in a long pearl gray dress   
  
walked in witha bright smile on her lips adn tenderness in her eyes. Reaching up   
  
she began to take out her earrings.  
  
"Wasn't the party lovely Haruka?" her melodic voice lilted through the air. "You   
  
look so handsome tonight." she sighed. "I love you."  
  
Haruka was so lost in her tormented vision that she almost answered. With a gasp   
  
the former racer touched a hand to her head. She could feel the deep ache that   
  
signaled the on set of her migraines. The pain would not distract her from her   
  
mission. When she opened her eyes the vision was gone. That's right, Michiru wasn't   
  
here, she couldn't be. She was dead.  
  
An hour later a sleek black car exploded onto the road seeming to come from nowhere.   
  
As it surfaced out of the countryside just in sight of the city, small time   
  
criminals fled in terror of the coming warrior. Their lives were forfeit - the   
  
bat had no mercy.   
  
Makoto blinked again as Commisoner Chiba again welcomed her to the city of Tokyo.   
  
Her parents had recently been killed and now a mysterious and still undisclosed   
  
millionaire had agreed to take on raising her. She had quite a lot to think about.   
  
There was a knock at the door to jolt her from her reverie. She stiffened. Was   
  
this her benefactor??  
  
The door opened and Police Chief Rei Hino came through followed by two ladies.   
  
Comissioner Chiba's face lit up.   
  
"Ah this is my wife and our daughter." he introduced proudly.  
  
Makoto nodded her hello. The wife had impossibly long pony tails with buns   
  
on top of her head. The daughter was pretty enough with short blue hair and a   
  
serious face. they both smiled at Makoto warmly , but she could see the pity   
  
in their eyes and it shamed her.   
  
The Police chief held up the morning paper. "Did you read it yet?" She   
  
asked.   
  
" Hai, He was busy last night. I don't know what this city would do without   
  
Batman. We would be over-run with Criminal Masterminds."  
  
"I don't think what he is doing is right. " His wife commented. "Fighting   
  
criminals by being a criminal is not the answer. Justice would surely   
  
prevail." She finished thoughtfully. Mamoru reached out and affectionately   
  
squeezed Usagi's hand, but ovver her odangos his gaze met that of Police   
  
Chief Hino. They both knew how bad it had been. Until Batman they had been   
  
in danger of losing control. Even now the balance was held only tenuously   
  
in their favor.   
  
Chiba Ami did not fail to note this exchange between her father and the   
  
chief. She wished there was something she could do. There just had to be   
  
something and it would come to her.   
  
A phone on the Comissioner's desk rang. He answered it. "Yes, of course,   
  
send her right in." He hung up and turned to Makoto. "She's here for you."  
  
'She?' Makoto wondered.   
  
The door opened and a smartly dressed woman came in. She had long green   
  
hair and kind garnet eyes that rested immediately upon Makoto. Posture   
  
perfect she bowed slightly and greeted the young orphan. "Good afternoon,   
  
Mistress Makoto. I'm Meioh Setsuna. I've come to take you home."   
  
Makoto found her voice. "Where is home?" she asked sharply. If she came   
  
across as rude they might not want her, but right now she didn't care.   
  
Setsuna smiled understandingly. "Tenoh Manor. You are to be the ward of   
  
Tenoh Haruka."   
  
Makoto's mouth dropped open but she closed it with a snap. 'THE Tenoh Haruka.   
  
The millionaire, former Formula One Champion.' Her life had indeed just   
  
taken a most interesting turn.  
  
Author's notes: Ok this is just me goofing off. I started this in my livejournal and   
  
have three parts to it. I don't know if I will ever finish it...hard to say. I have   
  
another piece written in my real journal so I will try to type that up. I just thought   
  
I would post it for the fun of it I hope it gets your plot bunnies   
  
jumping. Email me with any new thoughts you might have on it! 


	2. Bat 2

Batruka Part II  
  
by Saun   
  
Rated: PG  
  
Haruka   
  
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon & Company do not belong to me. I just   
  
borrowed them for a bit.  
  
Don't blame my editor for typos... this too was an unsupervised expedition:-D  
  
Plot bunnies doing a jig - Comments??  
  
Makoto walked quietly through the hallway. The school year started last week   
  
and she was adjusting well to her classes. She didn't have any friends yet.   
  
She had seen Ami Chiba, but they weren't in the same classes. There was a sign   
  
up sheet for the track team and the brunette had thought about trying out for   
  
it. Of course, that would cut into her study time, but what did she care she   
  
would rather be here than "home" anyway. In the two months that she had been   
  
staying at Tenoh Manor she had yet to see the palatial house's namesake. She   
  
could tell that Setsuna had developed an affection for her, but the green   
  
haired woman had duties and little time to enertain a teenager.   
  
After being left to herself for so long Makoto had to admit she was lonely.   
  
Anything would be better than this half existence. So maybe she should sign   
  
up for some kind of extra curricular activities. The green eyed girl   
  
stepped out into the bright mid-afternoon sunshine.  
  
Ahead of her was a group of girls. They were laughing and talking together   
  
and Makoto once again was painfully reminded of her aloneness. She was   
  
just about to slid deeper into her own personal pity party when she heard a   
  
shriek and then the three girls started to scream. A punk had just run up and   
  
yanked the purse off the shoulder of one of them. In fact he had pulled so   
  
hard that Makoto could see the broken strap dangling behind him. She didn't   
  
think. She didn't have time to - her gut reaction was to catch the creep and   
  
make him pay. She dropped her books and in a flash was hot in pursuit.  
  
Makoto took off at a dead run after the bandit. She fell into a close pace   
  
behind him they weren't very far apart when she dove for him. Her body fell   
  
to the concrete, but she got her arms locked around his legs.  
  
She was was pretty scrapped up, but so was he when he lost his balance   
  
and tumbled face first onto the pavement. Makoto deftly trapped one of the   
  
thief's flailing hands, twisted teh wrist and locked it behind him.   
  
One of the girls had used her cell phone to call the police and shortly   
  
they were all down at the police station.   
  
She could here voices in the office to her right.   
  
"Who caught him?"  
  
"Some teenager, Chief. She tackled him. He went straight down and ate   
  
pavement. He's lucky to have any teeth left!"  
  
Police Chief Hino appeared in the office doorway and if she was surprised   
  
that it was Makoto she didn't show it.   
  
"Great work." The chief congratulated her with a strong handshake. Makoto   
  
allowed herself a rare smile. She suddenly looked at her watch. She   
  
wasn't home yet and Setsuna would wonder where she was!   
  
"Can I borrow your phone?" she asked anxiously.   
  
The genteel butler picked up on the first ring.  
  
Makoto quickly explained what had happened adn Setsuna reassured her that   
  
everything was all right. "I was just concerned about you Mako-chan" She   
  
slipped the endearment in easily. "I will be there to pick you up shortly."  
  
"So she's all right then." Haruka leaned isoucently against a pillar. "Well   
  
that's good to know" The blonde looked tired, but that didn't turn aside   
  
Setsuna's gentle barb.   
  
"You should get to know her. She's alone now and we are all she has   
  
in this world. I hope I'm not over stepping my bounds, of course, Master   
  
Haruka."   
  
Haruka laughed and blew at her bangs. "You know that your boundaries are   
  
only the ones you impose on yourself. I have to trust you, you've been   
  
with me far too long and besides you know where all the bodies are   
  
buried." Her gaze dropped after the double-edged remark and Setsuna   
  
saw the bleakness in her eyes and wisely held her tongue.   
  
"I'm going back to bed." the racer finally tossed out curtly and left   
  
the room.  
  
Setsuna went to pick up Makoto from the police station, when she pulled   
  
up in the Mercedes the girl was waiting for her on the front steps.  
  
She hurried down and hopped in the passenger's seat.  
  
Setsuna smiled at her. Of course MAkoto would never think to slide into   
  
the back. "it was a very good thing you did today." She smiled.   
  
"I don't know." the girl struggled to explain. "I just enjoyed taking   
  
him down, it's like I scored a point for the good guys. I felt kind of   
  
like.... Batman" Makoto couldn't hide the traces of admiration in   
  
her voice. She had been reading every article on the caped-crusader.   
  
Now there was someone who was making a difference. She went over   
  
her actions today again and realized that it was indeed true. Mako-chan   
  
did feel really good about what she'd done and she'd do it again in   
  
a heartbeat.  
  
Setsuna just smiled blandly, her thoughts on someone else entirely.  
  
Two days later, the blonde jolted into alertness. Haruka couldn't   
  
remember what had woken her. She had crawled into bed shortly before   
  
dawn, but now she could see the sunlight coming up over the mountains.   
  
How many beautiful sunrises like this had she witnessed with Michiru? Far too few she admitted bitterly.   
  
Haruka had caught sight of the beautiful violinist at a benefit   
  
concert and in that moment her heart had been caught. She had set out   
  
to woo the lady in a unique way and hopfully spark some answering   
  
affection in the elegant heart. As it was all of her efforts were   
  
appreciated, but not neccessary. The minute Michiru laid eyes on the   
  
handsome racer she too was smitten.   
  
She would never forget the joy when she'd brough Michiru home with her to   
  
stay. The elegant woman had helped transform the mansion into a comfortable   
  
home for the two of them. Her butler had been taken with her lady's charms   
  
as well. With her sweetness and grace she'd had both Haruka and Setsuna   
  
tripping over themselves to fufill her tiniest whim.   
  
It was about that time that the criminal world of Tokyo had suddenly  
  
become more organized. It was a powerful force now and petty crime had   
  
quadrupled overnight. Haruka hadn't cared she had been young and happily   
  
in love. She had alarms, the mansion was fortress, here she and Michiru   
  
were safe.   
  
Violence flared outside, but in their own cocoon they were content to   
  
ignore it. That was until the night of the policeman's ball. It was one   
  
of the grandest social events of teh season. Everyone who was anyone would   
  
be there. Looking back ruefully Haruka acknowledged that had been what  
  
had made it such a ripe target.   
  
The Tokyo criminal element had crashed the party -literally. The high   
  
glass dome of city hall had been shattered as a group of cruel figures   
  
in black had crashed through it. Shards had rained down on the panicked  
  
populace and their screams were punctuated with automatic gunfire. Haruka   
  
had grabbed Michiru and dragged her toward the door. The well muscled   
  
racer had tried to use her own body as a sheild for her lover, but as   
  
they had raced down the steps toward the waiting limo one of the leaders   
  
had seen them and others and decided to check them in their flight. Haruka   
  
could still rememeber the cold glint in his blue eyes as he ahd raised   
  
his gun and fired. She tried to drag Michiru down, but she hadn't needed   
  
too. If she thought about it she could still feel the warm heavy weight   
  
as Michiru slumped against her back.   
  
Haruka had turned in horror to find a reality worse than her imaginings.   
  
The violist fell back without Haruka's body to support her. Her mouth was   
  
open, her eyes glassy and unseeing. Haruka had had touched the perfect   
  
porcelin cheek. She was still warm, she couldn't be dead! The blonde reached   
  
to cradle the back of Michiru's head only to feel the soft shattered skull   
  
give way to her palm. The hot blood began to drip down her arm and seep   
  
into her tuxedo. Haruka's mind knew there was no hope, but she pulled the   
  
body close to her anyway, cradling it against her chest and cooing endearments.   
  
She hadn't been able to move, hadn't been able to think. Two crystal tears had   
  
poured from her unblinking eyes, but she hadn't screamed, hadn't cried. Not   
  
then, not when they loaded the body into the hearse. Not when she and   
  
Setsuna had carefully packed Mcihriu's things up to send back to her   
  
family. No, her pain had not poured itself out, instead it had drawn back   
  
inside and crystalized, creating a void in her chest like a horrible pus   
  
filled wound that was doomed never to heal. From this vantage point the   
  
grief had begun to consume her.   
  
She had made the arrangements for Michiru's funeral and had worn the soft   
  
gray suit Michiru had loved. The day had been bleak and rainy but Haruka   
  
hadn't noticed. Her face pinched and severe as she stood under the umbrella   
  
the openly weeping Setsuna had held. The Comissioner had been there. He had   
  
offered his condolences, but informed her that there were no leads yet. Haruka   
  
had retired to her home, but she didn't eat and rarely slept. It was only   
  
due to Setsuna's firm insistence that she had been persuaded to take any   
  
sustenance at all. She wanted to die, but first she wanted him to pay for   
  
what he'd done. When she heard that he had been arrested she had been   
  
elated and had dutifully identified him and testified at the trial, but   
  
something had gone horribly wrong and he had been set free. The morning   
  
after the verdict had come out Haruka knew that Setsuna had expected to   
  
find her dead body upstairs, but Haruka had been alert and fully dressed.   
  
She'd eaten her first full meal in months.   
  
The blonde had started an intense exercise program and the kindly butler   
  
had breathed an inward sigh of relief. Maybe Haruka would recover from   
  
this tragedy after all.   
  
But the food was not what sustained the racer, it was her newfound purpose.   
  
To find him and to kill him and to stop something like this from ever   
  
happening again -to anyone.  
  
Haruka had sketchily outlined her plan to the green haired woman and offered   
  
to give ehr a extremely generous severance package if she wished to seek   
  
other employment, but the garnet eyed woman had flatly refused. Haruka had   
  
been truly relieved, Setsuna was the best damn butler this side of Shang   
  
Hi and the only person in the world she felt she could trust. Together   
  
they had put the plan in motion and thanks to the arrangements made by   
  
Haruka's attorney Kou Taiki, a lair with all of the most advanced   
  
technology had been erected in the bowels of Tenoh Manor.   
  
She was tired but, sleep was well beyond her. The blonde pulled  
  
on a loose fitting dress shirt and fastened only two of the buttons   
  
and a pair of black slacks. She padded down the hall barefoot into the   
  
music room and slid onto the piano bench. She reached inside herself and   
  
felt her pain still there pulsing, raw and inflamed. She tapped it letting   
  
it flow out of her and radiate down to her fingers. The melody born beneath   
  
her skilled hands was dark and powerful enclosing the room in a shroud.   
  
Tendrils escaped the confinement of the void and wafted out into the hallway.  
  
Makoto was on her way to breakfast when she had taken a wrong turn. It   
  
was't surprising really she reasoned, this place was huge. At first   
  
she thought it was just her imagination, but as she got closer to the   
  
source she was sure she heard music playing. It was dark and soulful and   
  
she suddenly felt cold inside even though Setsuna conscientiously   
  
kept the house at a comfortable temperature. Intriuged she followed the   
  
sounds further down the hallway to the room the emanated from.   
  
Makoto pushed the door fully open. At the piano sat a figure, her head   
  
thrown back as she lithely moved over the keys, weaving a black melody.   
  
The morning light shining through the huge bay window penetrated the   
  
loose dress shirt she wore as if it were mere tissue paper and exposed her   
  
figure as undeniably female.  
  
Makoto let out a soft gasp and instantly found herself pinned by stormy eyes..   
  
She couldn't breath. They stayed frozen that way for a full minute, regarding   
  
each other. Then the woman turned and resumed her playing only now the melody   
  
was near maddening in its repetitive simplicity.  
  
"You're up early." the low voice sounded a bit amused.  
  
Makoto didn't waste pleasantries. "Who are you?" After all this time of   
  
not seeing another soul besides Setsuna, she thought she was   
  
entitled to some answers.   
  
The tired blonde allowed herself a wolfish grin and answered easily "I   
  
own this house and everything in it."  
  
Makoto gasped audibly. "You're Tenoh Haruka?" the question hung there  
  
between them as Haruka declined to answer what she felt should be   
  
obvious.  
  
"Go." she instructed gruffly then thinking better of it she softened her   
  
regard. "Setsuna will be missing you and you don't want to be late for school."  
  
Makoto didn't need to be told twice she turned on her heel and fled   
  
from the dark music that was once again building in intensity. She eventually   
  
found her way to the stairs. 'Tenoh Haruka was a woman?' the thought   
  
pounded throught her brain. What other world shaking secrets did this   
  
Manor hold? She was determined to ask the one person she thought might   
  
have the all the answers.  
  
Author's notes: You should see all of the stuff I keep starting and haven't   
  
finished yet.   
  
For a year and half nothing! Now I have so many fic ideas I can't get them all   
  
written. You should see my senshi ER. I have this soap opera thing going in a   
  
hospital. All the senshi are doctors..of course, you know me. I keep getting   
  
sidetracked with the H&M plot hehe.  
  
Dont you just love them??  
  
If you should wonder what I am inspired by...all fluffy authors love campy things   
  
so the 60's Batman is here along with Batman forever. Val Kilmer reminds me of   
  
Batruka too.  
  
I know that the real Batman doesn't kill people...but Batruka is different. I know   
  
no one will probably call me on that particular plot point but I just wanted to put  
  
it out there that I know.  
  
By the way Batman is actually a specialized kind of crimimal called a vigilante. The crimefighter is a criminal...very cool. 


	3. Bat 3

Batruka Part III  
  
by Saun   
  
Rated: PG  
  
Haruka   
  
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon & Company do not belong to me. I just   
  
borrowed them for a bit.  
  
Don't blame my editor for typos... this too was an unsupervised expedition:-D  
  
Makoto snuck a glance at the other end of the dinner table where her blonde   
  
guardian was picking at her meal. The brunette had rushed downstairs that   
  
morning angry and full of questions, but Setsuna had quietly addressed her   
  
concerns.   
  
"She's a woman!"  
  
"So are you or rather you will be someday soon." Setsuna had pointed out.   
  
"The whole world thinks she a man. She's a celebrated race car driver!"  
  
"Does what the world think take anything away from her talent?"  
  
"Well... no...I guess not." Makoto mumbled. Setsuna was an oasis of deep  
  
calm and it was hard not to be sucked into it.  
  
"You two just need to get to know each other." the butler said thoughfuly as   
  
she smartly folded a napkin.   
  
'I don't want to get to know her.' Makoto had mused darkly.  
  
When she had come home from school it seemed that cooler heads had indeed   
  
prevailed and now she and Haruka were having dinner together but that   
  
hadn't meant they had to talk or even look at each other. Setsuna came   
  
in and cleared away their soup bowls adn placed yest another steaming   
  
course in front of them. Makoto had the suspicion that the garnet eyed   
  
woman was drawing this out so that they would have to spend the maximum   
  
amount of time in each other's company. She stifled a sigh and dug in.  
  
Comissioner Chiba answered the phone in his kitchen. He and his family   
  
had been eating a late dinner, but he knew if a call came in now it   
  
had to be urgent.  
  
He listened as Police Chief Hino filled him in.  
  
" A maitenance man saw someone picking the lock at the back of the Tokyo   
  
Science Museum. You'll never guess who it was..." As Mamoru listened his   
  
coutenance grew even more troubled.  
  
He was silent absorbing the information, then he sighed. "It sounds   
  
like you had better call Batman."  
  
In the other room Ami dropped her fork.  
  
Setsuna was bringing out the meat dish when suddenly the phone on the   
  
wall began to emit an urgent beeping and the red light on top blinked.   
  
Makoto saw Haruka and Setsuna exchange a glance and Haruka excused   
  
herself and went into the next room presumably to take the call. That   
  
was another odd thing about this house Makoto reasoned. There were   
  
phones in nearly every single room. She couldn't understand going   
  
to that amout of trouble just to make sure you didn't miss a call.   
  
Hadn't these people ever heard of '69'?  
  
Haruka returned and she addressed Setsuna but her gaze also   
  
lingered for a moment on Makoto.  
  
"It's an emergency, I have to go." she said.  
  
Setsuna nodded understandingly "Of course. I'll keep a plate warm for   
  
you in the oven."  
  
Haruka nodded her thanks."Thank you, Setsuna. Makoto, I'm sorry we weren't   
  
able to finsish our dinner together. Maybe some other time." and with that   
  
she was gone.  
  
Makoto thought about the blonde's parting words and then dismissed them   
  
'Yeah right.' she thought.  
  
Catwoman darted through the empty museum. She was very pleased with   
  
herself. It had been so easy to slip past the security system. So   
  
antiquated...they really should fix that. Maybe they would after her   
  
little impromptu heist.   
  
Her thoughts turned to more serious topics. This would ingratiate   
  
her to them. While she had been contemplating other things they   
  
had grown far more powerful than she could have dreamed possible.   
  
They had demanded a token of her fealty and she feared what would   
  
happen if she offered something they deemed unworthy. She tuuk out   
  
a tiny atomizer and sprayed the exhibit, exposing the hidden laser   
  
beams. Sweat trickled from under her mask as she worked in silence   
  
only to pull back giddy with success. Grabbing her cache she prepared   
  
to go.   
  
Unseen and Unoticed, Haruka eased up behind her adn caught her   
  
wrist. She placed her mouth near the woman's ear. "Now what do we have   
  
here?"  
  
The black clad beauty arched her back against Haruka firm body armor   
  
and purred "I was hoping you'd come."  
  
"I don't like to disapoint." the blonde said silkily.  
  
Catwoman spun then and pulled Haruka to her, kissing her fully on her   
  
chiseled mouth.  
  
Suprised, the racer growled low in her throat, sucking Catwoman's lower   
  
lip into her mouth and biting it sharply - drawing blood. Catwoman drew   
  
back stunned, but only for a moment. Quick as lightening her hand whipped   
  
across Haruka's exposed cheek.   
  
"Damn you." she spat.  
  
"Now now You know you can't take a man's heart by force, Dear."  
  
Haruka's hooded eyes watched detachedly as her words twisted the knife.  
  
Catwoman's hand was at her mouth, gently inspecting her injured lip.  
  
"So what do you want from me,Batman?"   
  
"I want you to put back the micro chips you have tucked in your cleavage   
  
and come quietly to jail."  
  
"Off to the pound with all the other unwanted kitties? It doesn't   
  
suit me." She laughed bitterly.  
  
Haruka took hold of her elbow firmly. Under her cowel she cocked her   
  
head thoughtfully perhaps this woman could help her on her quest. She   
  
cleared her throat.  
  
"Yesss?" the feline fatale hissed.  
  
"I'm looking for a man..."  
  
Her captive suddenly brightened. "I knew it! She turned toward the caped   
  
figure, her blue eyes triumphant. "No man with your physique could   
  
possibly be straight!." she lamented.  
  
Haruka's mouth quirked at that canny observation.   
  
The pretty neko continued. "I wish I could stay and help you, but I   
  
have somewhere else to be."  
  
"Don't worry I intend to escort you to your next appointment myself."   
  
Haruka said firmly.  
  
"Ah but you've forgotten soemthing important." her hand shot out quick   
  
as lightening and a single sharpened nail raked across Haruka's jaw.   
  
"The cutest kittens have the sharpest claws." Haruka fell to her knees   
  
as the toxin took immdediate effect. She sucked in deep steadying   
  
breaths. True to her word her captive was already gone. There was   
  
no way she could drive the Batmobile like this and who knew how long   
  
it would last. She tried to look around her but the room bathed in   
  
shadows swirled in a magnificent palette of grays. Trying to clear her   
  
head, she began analyzing her symptoms and narrowed it down to a family   
  
of hallucinagens. Her long fingers fumbled with her utility belt and pulled   
  
out pill case. Her head drooped as popped open one of the compartments   
  
praying that it was the right one. She slipped the little pink pill   
  
under her tongue and almost immediately her nausea quelled and her   
  
vision cleared. She stumbled outside, sucking in deep lungfuls of air.   
  
That had been stupid she admited. She had the batcuffs for a reason...  
  
besides Catwoman seemed the type to fall for something kinky. Now she had   
  
to tell the Comissioner that she'd failed the city this time. It wouldn't   
  
be the first time a criminal had gotten lucky. It was very rare, but no one   
  
ever got away from her twice.  
  
As the grogginess left her, rage surfaced in it's place and she slunk   
  
away into the darkness to find suitable prey to assuage her growing fury.  
  
Haruka was up before noon the next day discussing the evening events with   
  
Setsuna. the butler had refused Haruka's invitation to sit down in favor   
  
of standing with her hands clasped before her. The green haired woman was   
  
dressed formally today. She looked quite somber in her tux with tails.   
  
They both knew the significance of this day.  
  
"I'll be attending tonight." Haruka aswered the question Setsuna had   
  
not yet asked, but when she stepped into her bedroom her things were   
  
already laid out. She allowed herself a smirk as she quickly dressed for   
  
the gala.   
  
Haruka arrived fashionably late and strolled in affecting a debonair   
  
attitude. From a vantage point near the buffet tables she was able to survey   
  
the room, searching for anything an anyone suspicios.  
  
The police chief was there attired in a red dress and jacket with   
  
imposing shoulder pads. Haruka wondered idly if she was ever able to   
  
seperate her position from her personal life. Her husband was also in   
  
attendance. A large ruff looking man that she recognized as a   
  
local martial arts instructor.  
  
Comissioner Chiba looked the part in his tux and his lovely wife was   
  
wearing a smooth white satin gown that gave her an almost regal   
  
bearing. When the dark haired man spotted her he made a bee-line for Haruka.  
  
"I'm glad to see you here, Tenoh-san"  
  
"It is a pleasure to see you again Comissioner." Haruka returned the   
  
greeting formally. She saw concern in his eyes and she wanted to   
  
shrink away from it. Surely he rememebered that night 8 years ago,   
  
when her world had collapsed around....  
  
"What happened to your neck?" He wondered aloud still pondering the   
  
cut that the concealer she had used apparently failed to   
  
completely hide. Startled, Haruka reached up and stroked her   
  
fingers over Catwoman's calling card.  
  
"I cut myself shaving." Haruka replied dryly.  
  
Chiba-san smiled. I used to do that too. Until I got an electric   
  
model. You've got to try one..."  
  
"Mamo-chan." a soft voice interrupted them.  
  
The commissioner immediately turned to his wife. "Hai Usako?"   
  
his eyes drank in her beauty and it was at once obvious to   
  
Haruka how in love the man was with his wife. Strangely she felt   
  
no envy, only satisfaction in his happiness. That surprised her.  
  
The lovely blonde lady laid her hand on her husband's arm. Mamo-chan   
  
I'd like for you to meet Aino Minako an old friend of mine from   
  
school. I didn't actually bring her over to meet you though, she's   
  
been begging me all night to introduce her to Tenoh-san." she finished   
  
coyly.  
  
"Usagi -chan!" the young woman behind her called out, shocked.  
  
Haruka finally noticed the lady standing there. This was not the first   
  
time the racer had been sought out by a lady.   
  
"It's all right. " Haruka assured her, turning on the charm. "It's   
  
always a pleasure to meet a lady as lovely as yourself." She found   
  
that for once it was actually true. No one could compare to Michiru,   
  
but this lady's features combined in such a way as to make her fair   
  
to the eyes.  
  
Minako blushed.   
  
Ever the gentleman Haruka offered her arm and the lady in question   
  
took it. They briefly spoke of mundane things until Haruka gallantly   
  
offered to get Minako a glass of punch.  
  
Returning, she pressed the plastic glass in her newfound escort's   
  
gloved palm.  
  
Haruka sampled her cup. someone had gone a little wild with the   
  
pineapple juice. This stuff was acidic. She wrinkled her nose in   
  
distaste.   
  
Minako sipped of her own glass and drew back suddenly wincing and   
  
sucking air over her lip.  
  
"What's wrong?" Haruka asked, concerned.  
  
The blonde smiled. "Nothing...really.. I know it's wrong to   
  
speak of such things but it's just a canker sore. I apparently get   
  
them when I'm out too late at night." her voice had taken on a cold   
  
note.  
  
Haruka looked at her in askance, but they were interrupted by   
  
Commissioner Chiba tapping his glass with fork. A hush fell   
  
over the crowd and Haruka involuntarily tensed. She felt uneasy   
  
tonight...very uneasy...  
  
Notes: I am really tired so I may change parts of this one.  
  
More Recent Notes: I got myself stuck here, but I have great   
  
stuff for later chapters. I hope this is somehwat entertaining   
  
I am trying to get my website up so I can post more of my  
  
unfinsihed works. Let me know what you think! 


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